In May 2023, doctors at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu, embarked on a warning strike to protest against what they described as poor working conditions and owed salaries.

As of August 2023, the doctors were still on strike. Some resigned, others left the country, but amid this, UNTH was making plans to pay N234.7 million to contractors to provide medical equipment to the newly launched Gbajabiamila Hospital in Lagos, FIJ has discovered.

This happened despite UNTH doctors complaining of a non-functional intensive care unit (ICU) with certain departments unable to do procedures as a result, leaking and dilapidated call rooms, and epileptic power and water supply.

“Doctors are now patronising loan apps to feed their families; it is very shameful. These workers have committed no crime; their mates are abroad, but they decided to stay back; we are not asking for much; salary is basic,” Nwosu Ivan, one of the affected doctors, told a newspaper.

Although this hospital was deemed unable to pay its doctors, repair its leaking roofs and provide electricity, it was paying for vague, undefined medical equipment to go to a new hospital thousands of kilometres away.

FIJ found a N228,697,206 combined payment UNTH made to five contractors on September 7, 2023, for a “mobilisation fee for provision of additional medical equipment to a public hospital, Femi Gbajabiamila, Iyun, Lagos”.

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Each contractor got at least N45.6 million for vague equipment for the hospital named after Femi Gbajabiamila, President Bola Tinubu’s chief of staff and immediate ex-speaker of the House of Representatives.

The companies received the following sums from UNTH:

• Brown Integrated Energy Services Limited: N45,754,500.00
• Eze Manjoe Global Resources Limited, N45,759,200.00
• Hubworth Services Nigeria Limited: N45,695,750.00
• Overzoom Global Investment Services Limited: N45,849,675.00
• Primepiece Services Limited: N45,638,081.00

FIJ also found a N6,082,372.75 payment the UNTH paid to Iyidobi Timothy Nnabuchi on September 7, 2023, for “Administrative expenses for provision of additional medical equipment to public hospital – Femi Gbajabiamila, Iyun, Lagos”. This takes the total payment the UNTH made to furnish Gbajabiamila’s hospital to N234,779,578.75.

GBAJABIAMILA HOSPITAL GOES LIVE

On Tuesday, Femi Gbajabiamila inaugurated the 80-bed general hospital in Iyun, Surulere, Lagos State.

The hospital was named ‘Femi Gbajabiamila General Hospital’ and sits in the heart of the constituency the former lawmaker represented for 20 years.

While handing the hospital to the state, the former speaker said it was one of many projects he completed in Lagos to complement the government’s efforts.

He said, “The Femi Gbajabiamila General Hospital was conceived from the knowledge that a populous and growing metropolis such as Lagos cannot afford to be found wanting, so far as access to quality health care is concerned.

“This structure is an addition to support the tremendous work the Lagos State government is doing in the area of healthcare access.”

This is the first time UNTH has committed funds to aid another hospital, a deviation from its operations.

FIJ called Gbajabiamila on Thursday, but he did not take our calls.

FIJ also called Boniface Uchelue, the public relations officer of UNTH, but he asked that we call him back. FIJ called him again on Thursday, but he did not take our calls. He also had not responded to a message sent to him at press time.